Jordana Wright Photography

Temple Emanu-El

2012-02-27T10:21:00.001-06:00

Two weeks ago, we were endlessly fortunate to be granted access to Temple Emanu-El, my childhood synagogue in New York City, for a photography session. Located on the corner of 65th St. and 5th Avenue, Temple Emanu-El is the largest, and in my opinion, most majestic synagogue in the world. Through the assistance of Senior Rabbi Dr. David M. Posner and Administrator Mark H. Heutlinger, Cassius and I were offered uninterrupted, private access to photograph the Main Sanctuary and the adjoining Beth-El Chapel. Over the course of three hours, I was able to explore and record the grandeur of the synagogue through sweeping wide angles and abstract details -- a rare opportunity. After decades of envisioning this incredible location only in memory, I feel unbelievably fortunate to be able to add a collection of images of Temple Emanu-El to my portfolio.

Below are only a sample of the incredible photographs resulting from my time in Temple Emanu-El. Enjoy!

The main entrance on 5th Avenue

The Ark and floral display of the Main Sanctuary

Details on a menorah

A view of the rose window facing 5th Avenue

The pews and center aisle of the Main Sanctuary

Mid-afternoon light colored by the stained glass windows on the South wall

A view of the Main Sanctuary

A symbol of the Congregation, etched in glass

A close-up view of the Organ Screen above the bimah

A view of the Bimah

The hand-painted ceiling of the Main Sanctuary

Details in the Mosaics that decorate the Bimah

Details in the vases next to the Ark

The Ark - containing the Synagogue's seven Torahs

Details in the stained glass windows of the Beth-El Chapel

Jewel toned light enhances the northern corridor between the Main Sanctuary and Beth-El Chapel

Stained glass in Beth-El

The Southern stairway leading to the balcony in the Main Sanctuary

The view from the balcony

The stonework and northern balcony, enhanced by light through stained glass windows

The view from beside the Ark on the Bimah

For more information about the history and design of Temple Emanu-El, visit the brochure for their self-guided tour.

Many thanks to:

Rabbi Posner

Mark H. Heutlinger

and

Joe and Jose at the 65th St. security desk

America By Rail

2012-02-16T14:08:00.001-06:00

I know, its been a while since our last post. A lot has been going on around here. A couple of weeks ago we announced our next big project, America By Rail.

Last week we went to New York City via the Amtrak Lake Shore Limited route. With several shoots lined up in NYC we took the opportunity to do a test run on the train to gear up for the America By Rail project. At this point we have over 100 photographers who have RSVP'd for our photowalks, and we received our first gear donation sponsor. JOBY has given us a pair of the amazing Gorillapod Focus with Ballhead X. They arrived today and we can't wait to put them to good use on the trip!

After enjoying the journey to NYC on Amtrak, we got super excited about the trip in April. Check out a few of the photos from the trip to NYC!

To get more information about America By Rail, or to RSVP for a photowalk, visit the America By Rail website or contact us!

Thanks for checking in!

1 hour in Indianapolis

2012-01-08T19:16:00.000-06:00

Last time we were in Indianapolis, the city was in a frenzy of construction for the upcoming Superbowl XLVI. Having lucked out with a beautiful 60* day in January, we decided to hit the downtown for an hour and take a quick tour of all the updates and improvements of the city. My focus for the shoot was to expand my collection of architecture images of Indianapolis. The harsh noon light was actually perfect for the approach I took with my 10-22mm wide angle, a circular polarizing filter, and the white balance set to 2500K for an enhanced blue-cast. Check out a few of our favorite photos from the day below...

A gorgeous sunrise in Illinois

2011-12-09T11:01:00.001-06:00

We woke up yesterday at 4:30am, and decided to just go with it. After getting some work done on a few upcoming changes with our website, we were rewarded with a spectacular sunrise. Sometimes it pays off to lose a little sleep. Happy Friday!

Understanding the Image - Combining Flash and Available Light

2011-11-07T12:36:00.000-06:00

As promised, here is Jordana Wright Photography's second "Understanding the Image" tutorial,based on a photo from our recent shoot with Chris Harris - then of the Chicago Bears, and now of the Detroit Lions. Little did we know, as we walked around downtown encountering Chris' fans and admirers, that this would be his last public foray as a Chicago Bear. He was released by the Bears less than 24 hours after the shoot, and picked up by the Lions only another 24 hours or so after that. It was very interesting to negotiate a large metropolitan area with a celebrity, encountering all of things involved with having notoriety.

As we explained in our last Digital Classroom post, part of thechallenge of on-location shoots is finding dynamic and interesting lightingopportunities in which to feature your model. On our recent shoot with Chris Harris in Chicago,we wanted to frame him in the lights, reflections, and atmosphere of the Chicago River at night. As one might imagine, shootingportraits at night presents a number of challenges, including:

balancing exposure between the subject and their surrounding environment
selecting appropriate white balance
working with flash: direction, intensity, color, etc.
preserving detail within the image, despite low levels of light
shooting with the lowest ISO and fastest shutter speeds possible

Understanding theLighting

The above photograph features many sources of lighting, and was particularly challenging, despite its apparent simplicity. There are lights of the buildings across theriver and the sky serving as Back Light, there are streetlamps outside ofthe frame providing low levels of Fill Light for the subject, and there isan off-camera flash serving as the Key Light on the subject. Because we were working with a moveable source of light (the off-cameraflash) as our Key Light, we had the ability to adjust Chris' pose and positionwithin the environment as we saw fit. In thissituation, we used a Canon Speedlight 580EX II with an Impact Universal Bounce Diffuser and an amber colored gel. We wanted thisseries of photos to feel candid and realistic, so it was very necessary for theflash to provide a similar quality of light that wouldn't seem out of place to the surroundings. Traditionally, flash is a very bright, vibrantly white light source, so we chose an amber gel (Rosco 16) to warm the lightsignificantly. Anytime you work with gel, it is important to remember that the flash isn't going to behave normally within the settings you are accustomed to. Gel willreduce the amount of light that passes through it (known as "transmission") based on the saturation ofcolor you have selected, so it will take some tweaking of settings to find theperfect balance. The amber gel weselected was a very close match to the color of light cast by the streetlamps in the area (these were High Pressure Sodium lamps, which cast an orange-ish light). Before we embarked on the shoot, we also tested the amber gel against our subject's complexion, as different skin tones can highlight, washout, or sometimes react adversely to different colors of lighting.

Steps in Creating a Lighting Design:

Determine the Key Light. The Key Light is the primary source of illumination for the photograph or scene. In this example the Key Light is the amber colored Flash, firing from low on the model's left hand side. We specifically chose to fire the flash from slightly below the subject's chest height to ensure complete illumination of his face, even under his hat. When determining the Key Light in your own lighting compositions, imagine that you have only one light to use- where would you put it, what color would it be, from what angle, and why? The Key Light should satisfy all of those requirements.
Determine the Fill Light. Fill Light serves to provide general illumination and balance to the photograph. Fill Light will highlight features, eliminate shadows, and in some cases provide a different color source in an image. In this image, like in our first Digital Classroom post, we again have two colors of fill light -- moderate and deep blues reflected off buildings from behind the model and to his right, and the orange glow from above the model and to his left, from streetlamps.
Determine other lighting sources. Backlight is present in this image, however due to the time of day, the sources blended almost completely into the Fill Light and did not need to be considered. In other images additional lighting sources can add color, intensity, or depth to the lighting composition, often helping to separate the subject from the background. In this image the back light given off by the sky does provide a small amount of separation between the subject and the background, as well as providing a stunning depth to highlight the buildings against.
Determine the balance. This is the critical step, best learned through practice or trial and error. In this case, the balance was perfected by adjusting the location, intensity, and angle of the Key Light (the flash) until a perfect blend with the orange Fill Lighting was achieved. There are usually several ways to achieve any given look with lighting, and it is important to experiment with all of the possibilities to see which works best for you, in your given circumstances. For instance, in this image the intensity of the Flash was reduced by moving the Flash farther away from the subject, as opposed to changing the power settings. Any adjustment will have its own consequences. By moving the Flash farther away, the light has a larger spread and will illuminate more of the subject, which in this example we wanted. Reducing the power of the flash was out of the question for this shot because we needed the extra intensity to make up for how much light the amber gel absorbed.

Understanding thePosing

When working with a subject who has never modeled before, itis very important to pose them in ways that feel both natural and comfortable. Each photographer has their own techniques and ideas for communicating posing to a model, and rarely is one technique superior to another. It all boils down to the individuals taking part in the shoot. In this image, I physically demonstrated the basic stance that I was interested in achieving, and then allowed Chris to make it his own. The most important aspects of this pose are the placement of his right hand on the railing, and the angle of his body towards the camera. By positioning his hand on the railing, the subject is grounded within the frame and his body becomes a natural extension of the through-line that the railing provides. The 45* angle of his body towards the camera has an inherently relaxed and candid feel- much more than a square or straight-forward pose would provide. By positioning the camera just below the model's eye level, he holds a position of physical power and prominence -- literally looking from slightly above the viewer of the image. In addition, I took great care to place him within the frame in such a way that several architectural lines of the surrounding buildings converge on him, pulling even more focus to the center and therefore the subject. (demonstrated below).

Understanding theCamera Settings

This image was shot with a Canon 60D and a 17-85mm f/4-5.6 lens using the following settings:

· RAW

· ISO - 800

· White Balance - 5650K

· Shutter Speed - 1/25

· Aperture - f/4.0

· Off camera flash triggeredwirelessly

As always, this image was shot in RAW to capture as muchdata and detail without file compression as possible. This allows for more versitility in editingand can save shots that would otherwise be discarded. Particularly in complicated lighting scenarios, RAW makes all the difference in the world.

The ISO selected was the lowest possible for the givenlighting conditions. Chicagoat night is brighter than most night time scenes which, along with the flash,allowed an ISO of 800 versus a 1600 or higher- despite the late hour of theday.

The White Balance of 5650K was achieved using the AWBsetting. This setting was onlyappropriate because we colored the traditionally bright white flash with Rosco 16 light amber gel. If we had notcolored the flash, then the camera's AWB would have been less predictable, less appropriate, andmore prone to error. When using AWB with multiple light sources,always check your progress as you go to ensure that the camera is reading the colortemperature from the correct portion of the image.

This image was shot with a tripod - a necessity for me underthe lighting conditions and the weight of the lens used - which allowed me touse a shutter speed of 1/25. The balancebetween the flash and the ambient lighting of the scene was achieved by using thisslower shutter speed. Had we fired theflash and shot at 1/100 or faster, the only portion of the image that would beappropriately lit would be the subject, illuminated by the flash. To brighten the detail of the city and tomatch the ambient lighting to the flash, a slower shutter speed is perfect. This is an example of how the camera andlighting design can work together, and why determining the balance of that lightingdesign was the most important step while creating this image.

A large aperture was ideal to allow for as low an ISO aspossible to reduce noise. With this particularlens, f/4 still provides a large amount of detail in the background, which iscrucial to the intention of featuring not only the model, but also the surrounding environment.

While we already discussed Flash in detail as the sourceof Key Light, it is important to note that the flash was triggered wirelessly with the Canon Speedlight Transmitter ST-E2. This allowed me to utilize the ETTL features of the Canon system, which send metering information from the camera to the flash. This also allowed me to get the flash off the camera, and exactly where Iwanted it. Because of the amber gel used, flash power settings were boosted or reduced as needed, by hand, (in this shot we were at +1 1/3) to achieve the appropriate final balance of light. With the wireless system, you're not confined to the distances or whims of sync cords - allowing for much less setup time, but much more versatility and specific placement of the Key Light. In all cases the flash was hand-held to allow for the most rapid transitioning between locations and distance from the subject as possible.

Understanding thePost-Processing

The first phase of editing is performed in Photoshop'sCamera RAW. This is where I make alledits that could traditionally be performed in a darkroom. I can tweak exposure, contrast, color, depthof blacks, vibrance, etc. With imagesshot at ISO 800 or higher, I traditionally perform Noise Reduction aswell. When working with Camera RAW,experiment with the appearance of the two Noise Reduction sliders. I tend to prefer a 100% noise reduction withthe color slider and leave the luminance slider at 0%. This is a personal preference for the finalappearance of the image.

In Photoshop I made small adjustments -- such as removal ofthreads and lint from the model's clothing -- and added a vignette. The beauty (and reward) of putting effortinto the creation of a lighting design is less post-processing!

Live Question & Answer Session

One of the added benefits of our Digital Classroom is the ability to directly ask questions of the individuals that shot the images and interacted with the lighting and the subjects so many of you ask us questions about! In response, we'll be hosting a Google+ Hangout tomorrow evening at 8pm CENTRAL time. We'll both be available to answer questions about any of the topics covered above, as well as any questions you might have or develop as a result. We both look forward to seeing you there!

Camerapixo Issue 14

2011-11-04T11:21:00.002-05:00

Check out our photos and profile in the current issue of Camerapixo... download it as a PDF on your computer, or iPad! Inside you'll find our work as well as the work of many of our friends and favorite photographers from Google+. Enjoy!

http://camerapixo.com/magazines/regular/photography-excitement-for-the-eye

2012 Planners available for Pre-Order

2011-11-02T16:50:00.001-05:00

We're excited to announce that this year we're offering

2012 Weekly Planners

featuring our photographs!

Planners are 5x8 and available in soft or hard cover.

We have two planner designs that we're debuting...

...there's the dramatic Black and White Photography Planner

and the vibrant Color Photography Planner!

Both planners are available in soft cover for $30 and in hard cover for $50. All planners feature a weekly format with 52 images, lots of room to write in appointments and notes, and year at a glance pages.

2012 Weekly Planner by Jordana Wright | Make Your Own Book

You can preview, order, or share the planners from our bookstore: http://www.blurb.com/user/JordanaW,

or contact us directly to place an order!

Adalee's Senior Portraits - Sneak Preview!

2011-10-31T11:17:00.001-05:00

We had a lovely Senior Portrait Session with Paris, IL senior Adalee last week! Check out the Sneak Preview of her session... Enjoy!

Thanks again, Adalee for an excellent session!

For more information about photography sessions with us, visit jordanawright.com or call (217)686-4366.

Chris "Hitman" Harris - Style in Chicago

2011-10-29T11:00:00.000-05:00

Its not every day that you land a style shoot with one of the starters for the Chicago Bears. Jordana Wright Photography had the distinct pleasure of shooting Chris "Hitman" Harris in downtown Chicago last week, after making his acquaintance on Google's latest foray into social media, the Google + network. Much to everybody's surprise, the Bears actually cut Mr. Harris the following day, upsetting fans to no end, and generating a great deal of interest and speculation into his career and future. Enter the Detroit Lions, who picked him up basically as soon as he was made available. Meanwhile, Chris Harris became one of the top 5 trends on Twitter for a few days, and as a result our images are being viewed everywhere! Best of luck to Chris and to his continued success both on and off the field.

Best of luck to the Bears too- there's a "Hitman" coming to Chicago in a few weeks......

Enjoy the sneak preview of his Style in Chicago Shoot below!

Special Thanks To:

Chris Harris, Brad Williamson of the Virtual Biographers,

and to Joan Kuhn for the usage of her breathtakingly gorgeous home.

Captain Don Bussart

2011-10-18T15:47:00.003-05:00

Captain Don Bussart 1919-2011

A note that Cassius wrote last night:

"I write this now, at a true loss for words.

One of the greatest American heroes, patriots, gentlemen, fathers, and most of all, friends - has passed away from us this last weekend.

He flew airplanes in dangerous places around Southeast asia for over 40 years. He flew for Air America, he flew the Hump in Burma, he flew wooden prop planes in air races. He set the world speed record in an open cockpit prop plane at well over 500 MPH. He flew stunts for movies. He flew for the military, for private companies, for spies and soldiers, and for his own. He was the guy tapped to short runway land and takeoff for the Bay of Pigs. C-130, biplane, jet, glider, He just flew everywhere as often as he was able. I had the pleasure of working with the man alongside Jordana for a photoshoot featuring one of his vintage airplanes, a 1934 American Eagle eaglet.
If more Americans were like him, the country would be in much better condition.

The world is surely a poorer place now.

Rest In Peace,

Captain Don Bussart
December 18, 1919 - October 14, 2011"

Photowalk Chicago

2011-10-07T10:03:00.000-05:00

Last week we led a photowalk in Chicago for a few folks we've met on Google+. We followed an architectural tour suggested to us by a contact from the Chicago Architecture Foundation which included: The Chicago Cultural Center, Chase Tower, The Chicago Board of Trade, Marshall Fields, among others.

Here are the first few favorites from the day...

Autumn in Wisconsin

2011-10-03T15:32:00.000-05:00

After a very busy summer, we finally got some time off and took a trip to St. Germain, in northern Wisconsin. The fall has made a lot more progress that far north and we got to see some beautiful autumn color! Here are a few of our favorite photos from the trip... Check back for more later in the week!

Sneak Preview: Saundra & Matt's Wedding!

2011-09-14T14:57:00.002-05:00

Last weekend we had the good fortune of photographing the New York wedding of our friends Saundra & Matthew. It was a beautiful ceremony at the O'Byrne Chapel of Manhattanville College, followed by a fantastic reception at the Renaissance Westchester Hotel. We got a small sample of their dynamic together last summer at their Engagement Session, and were delighted to be a part of their special day. Take a look at the Sneak Preview we put together for them... Enjoy!

Congratulations, Matt and Saundra! Enjoy the honeymoon!!!

For more information about Jordana Wright Photography,

visit our website, or call (217) 686-4366.

Sneak Preview: 2011-2012 PCHS Cheerleaders

2011-09-08T13:25:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we had an awesome shoot with the Paris Cooperative High School Junior Varsity and Varsity Cheerleaders. The squads were prepared, practiced, and a real pleasure to work with! Check out the sneak preview of their session... Enjoy!

Thanks again to the PCHS Cheerleaders and Tanner Laughlin for such a great shoot!

You guys are going to have an incredible season!

For more information about booking sessions with Jordana Wright Photography,

visit www.jordanawright.com or call (217) 686-4366

Pendulum Aerial Arts

2011-09-01T22:27:00.000-05:00

Last week The Doudna Fine Arts Center in Charleston, Illinois opened their 2011-2012 season with an incredible aerial acrobatic and contortionist performance by Pendulum Aerial Arts. The performance, entitled "High Art", was inspired by eight masterpiece paintings and told the story of the journey through various stages of life. The costumes, music, lighting, and choreography complimented and enhanced the awe-inspiring agility and passion of the performers. Here is a Sneak Preview of our images from the performance! Enjoy!

Thank you to The Doudna Fine Arts Center, and

Suzanne Kenney for inviting us to photograph the performance!

Sneak Preview: The Ives Family Portraits

2011-08-19T13:18:00.000-05:00

We first met the Ives family two years ago for a Family Portrait Session on the beach. Tim, Delia, Molly, and Ella are an amazing, fun, and photogenic crew. We had a lovely reunion photo shoot at Bourne Farm in Bourne, MA with the excellent addition of Cooper, the family dog. Here's the Sneak Preview of their session... enjoy!

Thanks again to The Ives for an incredible session!

For more information about Family Portrait Sessions with Jordana Wright Photography,

visit JordanaWright.com or call (217) 686-4366.

Sneak Preview: Hannah's Senior Portraits!

2011-08-19T09:54:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we posted the Sneak Preview for a Family Portrait Session with the Catania Family at Heritage Museums and Gardens. We followed that session up with a Senior Portrait Session featuring Hannah. Our session with Hannah was fantastic -- we had perfect weather, a beautiful location, and a total natural in front of the camera. Take a look at the Sneak Preview of her session... Enjoy!

Thanks again Hannah for a fabulous shoot!

For more information about Senior Portraits with Jordana Wright Photography,

visit jordanawright.com or give us a call at (217) 686-4366!

Sneak Preview: Family Portraits with The Catanias!

2011-08-18T15:47:00.000-05:00

Last week we had a lovely family portrait session with the Catania Family in Sandwich, Massachusetts. On a beautiful, sunny morning, we explored Heritage Museums and Gardens with our friends Rob, Sheri, and their four children, Zach, Jordan, Hannah, and Brooke.

Take a look at the sneak preview from their session... Enjoy!

We followed up the Family Portrait Session with a

Senior Portrait Session with Hannah...

Check back for the Sneak Preview of her session tomorrow!

Thanks again to the Catania Family! It's always a pleasure!

Sneak Preview: Senior Portraits with Haley Johnson

2011-08-05T10:06:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we had a fabulous Senior Portrait Session with Haley! She's super sweet, energetic, and very enthusiastic. During her 3 hour session we explored her family's beautiful property, taking advantage of ponds, woods, and open fields. Later, we shifted gears and took the shoot to the Paris, IL square, where we utilized the amazing textures, colors, and backdrops that the town has to offer. We had a wonderful time, and really enjoyed getting to know Haley. Take a look at the Sneak Preview we put together of her session...

Thanks again to Haley for such an awesome shoot!

For more information about Senior Portrait Sessions with Jordana Wright Photography,

visit the Senior Section on our website, or give us a call at (217) 686-4366.

Understanding The Image -- Working with Available Light

2011-08-03T11:47:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we released a sneak preview of a recent Senior Portrait Session at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, IL. We've received a lot of positive feedback about the images, and decided to use the image below to respond to a few inquiries about our techniques, the lighting, and the post-processing used. This is also the first post of our Digital Classroom Project, which will provide aspiring photographers with the resources and information they need to succeed!

Understanding the Lighting

Part of a successful on-location shoot is finding incredible lighting opportunities while working within the specific constraints you are given. At the Palmer House Hilton, we were asked to shoot without a tripod, using only available light. This presented a challenge, as the Palmer House is stylishly but dimly lit, and we only had one hour to shoot. The specific location featured in this image provided both ample illumination and dynamic color to highlight the model in an interesting way.

Creating dynamic lighting is an interesting puzzle. It involves a careful balance of color, intensity, source location, and angle of the lights themselves -- all of which must be perfectly in sync with each other to bring out the best qualities of the location and the model. In this situation, the lighting was immovable, and the color, intensity, and angle were all set. In these situations, it becomes a matter of moving the model within the light sources until the desired effect is achieved. In a studio setting, one would be able to simply move the lights elsewhere, or perhaps decrease the intensity.

Steps in creating a lighting design:

Determine the Key Light. The Key Light is the primary source of illumination for the photograph. In this example the Key Light is the teal light from the model's right. If you have one light to achieve your design objective, where would you put it, what color would it be, and from what angle? The Key Light should satisfy those requirements.
Determine the Fill Light. The Fill Light serves to provide general illumination and balance to the photograph. It highlights features, cuts down on shadows, and can provide a different color source in an image. It helps to tone down the Key Light and makes it appear less harsh. In this image, we have two colors of Fill Light -- a teal light from the Model's left, but farther from the Model than the Key Light (thus reducing intensity), and a white, ambient light from above the Model, to her front and left.
Determine other lighting sources. In this image, the third source of light is orange Back Light. Often Back Light is used directly on a Model or a backdrop, but in this case the backdrop itself emits light, and spills it directly onto the floor. The desired effect, which is to separate the Model from her surroundings, is achieved either way. In this image, the Back Light is far enough away from the Model to provide a gentle illumination from behind, without influencing the color or intensity of the other light sources.
Determine the balance. This is the most important step of all, and is best learned through practice, trial, and error. Outside of the studio, the available lighting sources, venue restrictions, and desired effects will all greatly impact the balance of your lighting. Every situation will be different. That's what makes lighting and photography fun -- look forward to the challenge!

Understanding the Posing

With the given lighting restrictions explained above, we wanted to utilize the space in a dynamic way that would showcase the model's strengths. Our model has an honest, and engaging smile. To best feature that, and provide a level of accessibility to the image, we shot this image at the Model's eye level. The posing of her arm provides a line through the image that leads the viewer directly to the model's face. It also helps her interact with her surroundings while anchoring her in the space. Because the lighting is a more intense teal on her arm, leading to a brighter, more white light on her face, her face becomes the focus of the image. Unless your focus is something specifically different -- as with some product photography -- you always want the face to be the brightest part of the image. By framing the shot off center, the image also becomes far more compelling -- providing asymmetry of color with the orange Back Light only visible to the Model's right.

Understanding the Camera Settings

This image -- shot with a Canon 60D and a 50mm 1.8 lens -- features the following settings:

RAW
ISO - 1600
White Balance - 6850*K
Shutter speed - 1/40
Aperture - f/1.8
Manual Focus

If you are a professional or serious amateur, shoot RAW. The amount of flexibility it provides is due to the sensor capturing more of the available data and not compressing the file. Files are bigger, so you'll need more storage, but RAW will save shots that you'd otherwise throw away.

The ISO selected was the lowest possible ISO for the lighting conditions. By sticking to the lowest possible ISO, you can limit the amount of noise or grain as much as possible.

The White Balance of 6850 was achieved using the AWB setting. AWB can be a blessing and a curse. Sometimes, as seen with this image, the camera can determine a pleasing color that is very true to life. Other times, what you see is not what you get at all. Anytime you shoot with AWB, check your progress to make sure you're getting the colors the way you want them.

The Shutter Speed of 1/40 is the slowest Shutter Speed I can personally shoot with this particular lens without blur or noticeable camera shake. Every photographer should know what Shutter Speeds they can get away with when shooting without a tripod. In order for the image to be correctly exposed, and to not need an increase to my ISO, I shot this image at 1/40. If the lighting conditions, or the positioning of the model had changed, the Shutter Speed might also have changed.

Aperture is my favorite tool as a photographer. The ability to adjust Depth of Field, demonstrating to the viewer what is really important in an image, is powerful. With portraiture, I love to shoot with as large an Aperture as possible (remember large opening, small number). In this case, the 1.8 not only provided a nice blur to the background, but also allowed as much light as possible to reach the sensor. With the shallow Depth of Field that a 1.8 provides, it is important to be sure the subject is right in the middle of the area in focus. There's nothing worse than a model whose nose is the only thing in perfect focus.

With my 50mm lens, I always shoot with Manual Focus. If you trust your eyesight, it's the only way to go. You'll be able to keep up with little variations in positioning that may throw the auto-focus off. Manual focus is also quicker and quieter should the location of your shoot require you to be unobtrusive. Because I specifically shoot Manual Focus, I check my diopter (the dial that allows you to adjust the viewfinder to match your eyesight) routinely. This guarantees that your eye and lens are always in sync, greatly increasing the likelihood of capturing stunning, crisp images.

Understanding the Post-Processing

Our Post-Processing has two important phases -- RAW editing, and Photoshop editing. In the RAW editor, I make adjustments to the aspects of the image that you would have previously adjusted in a dark room -- like contrast, brightness, depth of the blacks, vibrance, etc. This is where you would tweak color temperature and exposure to match what you saw at the time of shooting. I tend to prefer high-contrast images in which colors are very vibrant. I traditionally make RAW edits to brighten images, add contrast, and make colors pop. It is important to learn the differences between the effects of the 'vibrance' and 'saturation' sliders. Take time to experiment. In the RAW editor, I also reduce noise as much as possible without losing detail in the image.

Once the image is open in Photoshop, I create a new layer for every aspect of editing. That way you can change opacity of specific adjustments, turn layers on and off to check for accuracy, and delete them if you're not happy with the effects. I remove blemishes with the Patch Tool, Lighten under-eye circles with a paintbrush on a transparent layer, and - if needed - brighten teeth and eyes. In portraiture for a non-commercial client, I never apply blur effects, or blur by hand any elements of the skin. I believe that models should look like the best version of themselves, while maintaining the nuances that make them real. I was asked by a fellow photographer from Google+ why I didn't remove the under-eye circles completely from this specific image. Below you can see my final edited image on the left, and the image re-edited to completely remove the under-eye circles on the right. The re-edited image feels artificial to me, particularly having met the model, who looks nothing like the girl on the right. Some lightening of under-eye circles is standard, to make models look less tired, but it is important to maintain the shape of the area under the eye -- it keeps eyes from feeling like they are floating on the face. Additionally, the facial expression in this image creates the shape and appearance of the eye -- images in which the model isn't smiling have less of a crease in the eye area. To remove that crease makes the expression feel unbalanced and fake; in this case, removing the facial feature that provides the cheek some of it's shape makes the face look unnaturally flat. The last thing you ever want as a photographer is to have your post-processing undermine the work you do at the shoot in posing, lighting, and composition. To complete most images, I add a vignette effect to draw further focus to the appropriate portion of the image.

Jordana Wright Photography offers thanks to our followers on

Google+ for asking interesting and inspiring questions!

Please comment below with any additional questions or ideas you may have.

Check back soon for more "Understanding The Image" posts

from our Digital Classroom Project!

Sneak Preview: Style in Chicago with Rio!

2011-08-02T10:16:00.000-05:00

One of the cool things about Jordana Wright Photography is the ability to do ANYTHING you want for your senior portraits. With that in mind, local PCHS Senior, Rio decided she wanted to step things up a bit and use the amazing locations offered up by visiting downtown Chicago! This sneak preview showcases a few of the 150 final images included in her package. Besides shooting all over the streets of Chicago, we specifically focused on some fantastic locations near Trump Tower, Millennium Park, and the historic Palmer House Hotel.

The Palmer House Hotel was a real treat and a special opportunity for all of us, because under normal circumstances, Hilton doesn't allow any photography other than basic vacation snaps in their lobby. Fortunately, (and thanks to the legendary PR master and Chicago historian, Ken Price) we were given an hour to shoot inside with some of the Palmer House's most famous features as our backdrop! Be on the lookout for killer photographs around the famous Tiffany-designed Peacock Doors, the Spiral Stairs, the grand Main Lobby, and other amazing shots outside of Potter's Lounge -- one of Chicago's trendiest spots to see and be seen by all types of famous people :-)

Check out the sneak preview of Rio's incredible session!

Thanks again to Rio for another amazing session!

For information about booking your own Style Session in a city of your choosing for your Senior Portraits, just visit www.jordanawright.com/seniors.html or call (217) 686-4366.

Some more from Canada's capital city...

2011-07-25T13:56:00.000-05:00

Last week I posted a few of our photos from our trip to Ottawa... we've been getting through them slowly but surely. Keep an eye out for a massive increase of photos and prints for sale on our website. More photos coming soon!

Mer Bleue Conservation Area, Ottawa

Parliament Hill, Ottawa

Downtown Ottawa

Off the Rideau Canal, Ottawa

Sparks St., Ottawa

Berries at the Byward Market, Ottawa

Gatineau Park, Gatineau Quebec

Hog's Back Falls, Ottawa

Parliament Library, Ottawa

Parliament, Ottawa

Ottawa!

2011-07-21T14:20:00.002-05:00

We just returned from a trip to Ottawa -- Canada's capital city. Cash and I fell in love with the city's architecture, natural sights, incredibly friendly people, and the ridiculously good food! We've been posting loads of photos for our 6,300 followers on Google+ (our new favorite social media site), but don't want the blog or facebook followers to feel left out... so here are a bunch of our favorites from the trip so far! Many more coming soon!

A bathroom in Queens

2011-07-03T19:51:00.000-05:00

NYC has some spectacular restaurants. After an incredible meal at a restaurant in Queens, my friend recommended I check out the bathroom and bring my camera... not a traditional request. The colors, textures, and overall design in this bathroom were fantastic.

I only felt a little self-conscious :-)

Summer in the Mid

2011-07-02T14:46:00.000-05:00

I once read an article in a photography magazine that boldly claimed there is nothing to photograph (as far as landscapes) in the Midwest. I wholeheartedly disagree. Here are a few photos from the sunset last night just outside Paris, IL...
I'm lucky to live in such a beautiful place.

Chicago in Black and White

2011-07-01T09:45:00.000-05:00

Last week we took a little trip to Chicago... we visited the Art Institute of Chicago, checked out the infamous bean, and ate some ridiculously good Ethiopian food! Here are a few of my favorite shots from the trip -- all in Black and White to help set off the textures of the city!

Melissa & Jacob - Sneak Preview!

2011-06-22T07:29:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday was a beautiful day of celebration for the wedding of Melissa Mihalko and Jacob Lynch of Paris, Illinois! We got to know this special couple at their engagement shoot last month, and were so excited to get to spend their big day with them! To send them off in style for their honeymoon in Jamaica, we put together this little sneak preview of their wedding day. Enjoy!

Congratulations again to Mr. and Mrs. Lynch! Have fun on the beach!

Puppies Large and Small!

2011-06-17T19:54:00.000-05:00

Last week we had two incredible Pet Portrait Sessions in New York to benefit Animal Haven - a non-profit animal adoption center in NYC!

The first session, featuring Brodie the Pitbull, and his owner Sara, took place in Rockwood Hall Park, in Sleepy Hollow, NY. This former Rockefeller estate gave us loads of opportunities to catch Brodie doing what he does best -- running, flopping, and cheesing for the camera. Check out the sneak preview of Brodie and Sara's session!

Our second session featured an adorable Boston Terrier named Rogue, and her owner Melissa. We met on the steps of the New York Public Library, and explored the city from a pup's eye view. We made sure to stop off at some of the favorite and iconic NYC tourist locations like the public library, window shopping on 5th avenue, and Rockefeller Plaza. Rogue was a great sport and commanded attention everywhere she went! Take a look at the sneak preview of Rogue and Melissa's session!

We love Pet Portrait Sessions, and were so excited for the opportunity to feature these amazing pups while also benefiting an incredible place like Animal Haven!

We can't wait to do this again soon!

Thanks to Sara & Brodie, Melissa & Rogue, and to

Josh Blye for helping us organize the sessions!

For more information about Pet Portraits, or to set up a similar fundraising opportunity for your non-profit organization, contact us at (217)686-4366!

Thanks for stopping by!

Wicked Fire Kissed Pizza, Dedham MA

2011-06-14T20:49:00.001-05:00

We're back from a very busy whirlwind tour of New York and Massachusetts... 6 sessions in 7 days including a side trip from the suburbs of NYC to the Boston area to photograph the new location of Wicked Fire Kissed Pizza. You may remember our sneak preview of last year's photoshoot at the Mashpee, MA Wicked location. This year we stepped it up a notch, featuring more entrees, more cocktails, more desserts, and the gorgeous ambience of their new restaurant at Legacy Place, in Dedham, MA.

Take a look at the sneak preview we created featuring some of our favorite images from the shoot!

Thanks again to Rob and Sheri at Wicked! We had a fabulous time photographing your restaurant! Congratulations on the success of the new location!

Check back later this week for more sneak previews from
our east coast sessions last week!

Sneak Preview: Family Portraits with The Johnsons!

2011-06-01T16:52:00.000-05:00

We had a lovely family portrait session yesterday with our friends Mary, Derrick, and nearly 1 year old, Rylan. It was a lot of fun following Rylan around as she explored the backyard, played in the sun, and modeled not one, but two fabulous tutus! :-)

Take a look at the sneak preview of the session... Enjoy!

Thanks again to the Johnsons for such a fun shoot!

For information about Family Portraits with Jordana Wright Photography,

visit our website or give us a call at (217) 686-4366!

JWP Wallpaper sets are here!

2011-05-25T16:20:00.000-05:00

We're very excited to announce that now your favorite Fine Art Images by Jordana Wright Photography can now be purchased from our website in Wallpaper 12 packs! Each set costs $1.50 and is optimized for most mobile phones!

Today we released just five sets, but we plan to release more soon! Here are the sets currently offered on our website:

Abstract Set 1

Caribbean Set 1

East Coast Set 1

Flowers Set 1

Midwest Set 1

Thanks for stopping by! We'll post info about more Wallpaper Sets as they become available!

Melissa & Jacob - Engagement Session

2011-05-22T09:45:00.001-05:00

Last week we had an incredible Engagement Session at a cabin in the woods outside Paris, Illinois. Its always so much fun to do Engagement Sessions -- especially with a couple like Melissa and Jacob! Their energy, sense of fun, and the dynamic between them, made this couple a joy to photograph. They've been together a long time, and now we're less than a month away from their big day! Here's the sneak preview of their session!

Congratulations Melissa & Jacob! We can't wait for the wedding!

Graphic Design with our New Toys

2011-05-14T14:46:00.001-05:00

Graphic Design is a big part of what we do at Jordana Wright Photography. In the digital era, more and more photographers are cutting corners in their post-processing by purchasing someone else's designs, frames, and photoshop actions. Whether its creating new backgrounds, icons, and themes for our website, or custom designing our clients albums, brag books and composite prints, we do it all ourselves... from scratch. Needless to say, this is a lot of extra work... I once heard doing detailed photoshop editing and design with a mouse described as being like "painting fine detail with a brick". Well, painting with bricks had been our specialty until earlier this week when we got our shiny new Wacom Tablet! In just the past few days it has revolutionized what we can do with our post-processing, graphic design, and artistry in general. Here are a few images I've been working on -- all of these images will soon be available in downloadable sets for your computer, phone, and tablet wallpapers!

Set 1: is inspired by the Art of Peter Max and was drawn entirely by hand on the tablet

Set 2: A collection of patterns featuring components of our various photographs

This one was just for fun...

What do you think???

Thanks for visiting and check back soon for more photographs and design!

Featured for our Food Photography!

2011-05-05T11:37:00.000-05:00

In addition to Family & Senior Portraits, Weddings and Fine Art Photography, we really enjoy opportunities to photograph amazing food! You'll often see posts on our blog of our homemade culinary creations, but we also do Restaurant Photography as well. Two of our favorite restaurants -- Wicked Fire Kissed Pizza, in Dedham, MA and Mashpee, MA; and The Rock Cafe, in Virgin Gorda, BVI -- now feature our photographs of their delicious food on their websites!

Take a look:

Wicked Fire Kissed Pizza

The Rock Cafe

Thanks for stopping by! Check back soon!

Japanese Maple

2011-05-01T15:37:00.000-05:00

Sometimes in nature photography you get stuck on the same subject for a while. This Japanese Maple is in our front yard, and is one of my favorite signs of spring. When we bought this tree last fall, we got it in the ground fairly late in the season -- between that and the harsh winter we just got through, we never thought it would live. I took some time to explore the delicate leaves, and gorgeous color in the soft, warm light of a beautiful sunset last week. Enjoy!

Lanterns For Japan

2011-04-30T13:34:00.000-05:00

Last night was the culminating event for Multicultural Heritage Month at Eastern Illinois University. The disaster awareness event, Lanterns For Japan, to benefit the March tsunami and earthquake victims, successfully raised money which will be sent to Japan through the Salvation Army. The Lanterns For Japan project featured 799 white and red paper bags, each with a scoop of sand and a candle, arranged along the concrete steps in the EIU quad. The resulting image of the Japanese flag softly flickering in the evening was quite beautiful. We were honored to be requested as the event photographer. Thank you to all those who participated in making Lanterns For Japan a successful endeavor.

Nathan Bassett - Spray Paint Artist

2011-04-27T10:56:00.000-05:00

Nathan Bassett of "Nathan's Spray Monay" was the featured artist at the 2011 Celebration: Festival of the Arts at Eastern Illinois University. He amazed crowds with his unique and impressive art, creating other-worldly paintings with spray paint in just minutes. It is hard to imagine how spray paint as a medium can provide so much specificity and detail on a 16x22 canvas, but Nathan achieves the unthinkable. Check out this video we created featuring his spectacular talent!

More footage and images of his exhibition at the 2011 Celebration coming soon!

Check back with us!

Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars at EIU

2011-04-19T17:27:00.000-05:00

As the headlining act of the EIU Celebration 2011, The Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars really brought down the house. With their unmistakable West African sound, their bright smiles and costumes, and their message of happiness, they transformed a traditional concert hall into a foot-stomping, arm-waiving, reggae festival. The Doudna Fine Arts Center at Eastern Illinois University was only the 2nd stop on the US leg of their 'Positive Revolution Tour'. By the end of the show, strangers were dancing with each other in the aisles (and some were dancing on the stage), everyone was smiling, and the energy was buoyant.

Here are some of my favorite images from The Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars Concert...

EIU Celebration Weekend had a lot going on, so check back over the next few days for more photos from the festivities!

Thanks for visiting!

Central Illinois in Black and White

2011-04-04T17:32:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend we took a drive north of Paris to enjoy the amazing spring weather and to play with our new Canon 60Ds! The high contrast light and impressive clouds really complimented the variety of textures we found along way -- these conditions also lend themselves very well to Black and White Photography. Here are a few of our favorites from the day...

The 60Ds have been really fantastic for us so far -- both in our Style in Indianapolis shoot last week, and on our country drive. Keep an eye out later in the week for a review of the new cameras!

Rio Long - Style In Indianapolis

2011-03-29T15:16:00.000-05:00

Every year we see unique and amazing upcoming seniors stuck in the Senior Portrait rut -- in the Midwest there's not much variation with the usual train tracks, tree branch, and cornfield shots... When you look at portraiture in general, the trend is going in a more stylized, editorial direction. Last year, we photographed Kenyatte Nelson, Esquire Magazine's Best Dressed Man, in Cincinnati, OH. His shoot, Style in Cincinnati, reflected an appreciation both for his personal style, and for the unique locations many Midwest cities have to offer. This year, Jordana Wright Photography is reexamining Senior Portraits with the same approach -- a metropolitan, magazine-style flair.

We went to Indianapolis last weekend with current PCHS junior, Rio, and found incredible locations to showcase her personality, style, and charisma. We spent the day exploring the city and taking pictures. Here's a sneak preview of Rio's shoot -- Style in Indianapolis...

Thanks again, Rio!

Contact Jordana Wright Photography to find out how to incorporate

your favorite locations with your Senior Portrait Session!

Oppose Illinois House Bill 1080

2011-03-14T20:23:00.001-05:00

Do you want the government telling you what kind of dog you can have? Do you want your taxes to go up to cover $17 million enforcing an unenforceable law?

Breed specific legislation doesn't solve problems -- it only serves to persecute the people who are doing the right thing. Gangbangers will always have violent dogs, they don't respect the law anyway -- that's the entire point. Every person I know who has owned a pitbull, or known a pitbull owned by a happy family, knows the breed to be loyal, sweet, playful, and protective. In World War II, pitbulls were considered the American Watch Dog... all the traits we would look for in an ideal American. Suddenly legislators are looking to enable any city in the State of Illinois to vote to ban any dog breed. Dogs are individuals, banning a breed is banning a dog based on what it looks like... based on stereotypes. Does that sound American?

"Often when civic leaders want to impose a breed ban it’s in response to a recent incident in which a citizen was injured by a dog or dogs. It’s a knee-jerk reaction not based on a serious look at what happened and why," Mary Tiefenbrunn, The News-Gazette

Tell your local rep that Illinois House Bill 1080 is unethical, unenforceable, and will further bankrupt an already bankrupt state -- to the tune of an estimated $17 million!

In my years as a photographer, I have worked with many breeds of dogs, and the breeds our government would ban have been some of the most cooperative, well-behaved, and kind animals I have ever encountered.

Illinois Residents -- here's how to get in touch with your local Senators and Representatives

http://www.elections.illinois.gov/DistrictLocator/DistrictOfficialSearchByAddress.aspx

Find your reps and call, email, fax...
let them know that Breed Specific Legislation is not acceptable!

Yup. What a scary dog. Eating broccoli off of a fork. Hide your kids.

EIU Dancers Sneak Preview

2011-03-07T14:04:00.002-06:00

EIU Dancers Present The Heart Speaks

2011-03-04T16:51:00.000-06:00

Last night was the opening performance of "The Heart Speaks", the latest show featuring Cassius' Lighting Design. The dancers and crew have been hard at work all week getting ready for opening, and the first performance was a definite success! The Eastern Illinois University Dancers put together an amazing show featuring modern dance, ballet, jazz, and hip hop choreography. Below are a few of my favorite photos from the final dress rehearsals on Wednesday night.

The EIU Dancers are: Melanie Bradshaw, Kristlyn Dalton, Jordyn Gandolfi, Trish Garvey, Margaret Hall, Jennifer Johnson, Kaitlyn Kavanaugh, Jenna Miglio, Carrie Murphy, Melissa Pallardy, Nicolette Sheridan, Krista Stephens, Alyssa Triptow, Lyndsey Weber, Edward Swingler, and Kayne O'Brien. They are Directed by Antoine Thomas.

Congratulations to Cassius, the crew at The Doudna Fine Arts Center, The EIU Dancers and Antoine Thomas on an excellent production!

Comfort Food

2011-02-23T13:15:00.001-06:00

Nothing dispels the woes of winter like comfort food! Last week we made Hamantaschen and Matzo Ball Soup and photographed the delicious results! We've included the recipes below if you feel inspired! Enjoy!

Apricot Hamantaschen

Apricot Filling:

6 0z bag of dried apricots
1/3 cup of honey
1 tsp. orange peel
1 tbsp. orange juice

Soak the dried apricots for 1 day in warm water to rehydrate. Drain the apricots and puree. Combine pureed apricots with honey, orange peel, and orange juice.

Dough:

1 cup butter (I use Parkay)
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
4 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Place a rack in the top half of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine the butter and sugar with a hand mixer until evenly mixed and crumbly. Add eggs, vanilla, and milk. Sift the flour and baking powder together and add to the mixture. Combine ingredients into an evenly mixed ball of dough.

Dust your work surface with flour and roll out the dough (1/4 inch thick). Cut out circles of dough with a cookie or biscuit cutter and place them on the prepared cookie sheets 2 inches apart. Add a spoonful of the Apricot Filling to the center of each round. Pinch up the sides of the rounds to form triangles.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. Move cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Matzo Ball Soup

Soup Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts cooked and chopped into cubes
4 medium sized carrots chopped
5 celery sticks chopped
1 potato (peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
1 cup grape tomatoes
2 cups broccoli chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
3 chicken bouillon cubes
Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil 10 cups of water in a 4 quart pot. Add the bouillon cubes, chopped vegetables and chicken to the boiling water and cook for 30 minutes, or until veggies become tender and tomato skins start to peel. Add parsley, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Place matzo balls (see below) in the soup, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Uncover and serve!

Matzo Balls:

1 packet Manischewitz Matzo Ball Mix
2 large eggs
2 tbsp. vegetable oil

Beat eggs and vegetable oil together in a bowl. Stir in Matzo Ball Mix with a fork. Mix evenly until all Matzo Ball Mix is moistened. Refrigerate mixture for 15 minutes. Wet hands and roll the mixture into 1 inch balls.

Enjoy!

Flex Buff Chest

2011-02-14T14:46:00.002-06:00

Flex, Wexel, Flex-buff-chest... all aliases of the same incredible dog. Flex is a blue pitbull (one of our favorite types of pups) with a lot of energy and a ridiculously strong, coffee-table-clearing tail. Last week I snapped off a few shots of him keeping the neighborhood safe with a watchful eye from the front window. Gorgeous pup!

Thanks to Flex and Pete for the excellent impromptu photo shoot!

Sweetheart Sessions

2011-02-08T16:14:00.000-06:00

Oh hi, February.

2011-02-01T17:34:00.000-06:00

I see you showed up and brought all of your icy friends. That's cool I guess. Just keep the electricity on, and lets try to avoid each other for the next 28.

The Weekend of Food and Hibernation

2011-01-16T16:08:00.000-06:00

It's been a pretty relaxed weekend around here. We've been cooking and taking pictures of all of our fabulous culinary creations... Here are some shots of Cash's Citrus & Olive Salad, Peaches and Cream Scones, and a Fully Loaded Baked Potato.

I have already eaten all of this food... and still... the photos make me hungry.

Other dishes we made from scratch but did not photograph include: homemade Semolina Gnocchi, Breadsticks, and a 3 Cheese-3 Onion-2 Meat Pizza.

I hate snow -- but I LOVE food and amazing accommodations.

2011-01-11T14:15:00.000-06:00

It's depressingly snowy pretty much everywhere in this hemisphere -- the perfect opportunity for images of the fantastic food and villa accommodations we've come to miss in Virgin Gorda. So... for your snowy-day pleasure, please peruse and enjoy images of the delightful food at The Rock Cafe, and the stellar design and relaxation available at the Aquamare Villas -- both of Virgin Gorda, BVI.

We miss it.

A lot.

Two of our friend Simon's fabulous drink creations.

We miss you Simon.

Bruschetta -- so good that at our wedding reception, the guests ate it all before we got there.
Prompting us to request more bruschetta from the kitchen. We were, after all, the bride and groom.

It doesn't look like that when I make it.

Anegada Lobster salad -- which is way better than any other kind of lobster anything.

Anegada Lobster Salad in the foreground, with Bruschetta in the background. Perfection.

The dining room at one of the three Aquamare villas.
Surprisingly, you don't have to be too rich to stay here... but you'll feel like you are.

Is outdoor dining your preference? Well here you go then.

The view of Mahoe Bay across your infinity pool and private beach.
Dry your snowy tears on these luxurious 600 count towels.

I've always wanted to shower with a natural canopy above me. Close your eyes, lizards.

The great room. Any questions as to why it's called that?

Naptime on the private balcony, overlooking the private beach.

Candles controlled by a switch on the wall. Because we can. And should.

A splash of color accents the design beautifully.

The authentic luxury Caribbean experience.

Luxury discovered.

I'm going outside to make snow angels and pretend that they are sand angels. Just not in my bathing suit.

Glass and String

2011-01-10T13:23:00.001-06:00

We bookended last week with visits to The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and The Indianapolis Museum of Art. The lobby of the Indianapolis Museum of Art currently features an incredible installation called "Gravity's Loom" by The Ball-Nogues Studio, while The Children's Museum of Indianapolis has an ongoing installation called "Fireworks of Glass" by renowned glass blower Dale Chihuly.

After viewing and photographing both exhibits, we were amazed by the numerous similarities in the use of space, color, shape, line, and interaction with the available light with such totally different types of media. We were strongly affected by the way in which both artists adapted their work to fill, enhance, and envelop the museum spaces they inhabit. Both exhibits engage visitors in a special way -- drawing them to explore the work from all available vantage points...

For more information about these incredible installations, please visit:

http://www.childrensmuseum.org/themuseum/fireworks_ofglass/index.htm

http://www.imamuseum.org/exhibition/ball-nogues-studio-gravitys-loom

100th Post!!!

2010-12-22T15:50:00.000-06:00

The holidays are here, and there's plenty to celebrate -- reunions with friends and family, good food, presents, and lots of snow! At Jordana Wright Photography we're not only celebrating the holidays, but another excellent year in business -- and our 100th blogpost!

Over the weekend we had the opportunity to photograph The Munson Family in Sullivan, Illinois. They were full of the holiday spirit and positive energy. Thank you, to the Munsons for inviting us to photograph your lovely family! Here's a sneak preview of the session... Enjoy!

Thank you to our clients, family and friends for making it a wonderful year!
As a send off for the fabulous year of 2010,
are a few of our favorite images from sessions and events throughout the year.

Happy Holidays!

Should have stayed in BVI...

2010-12-14T16:25:00.001-06:00

In the last post, I mentioned a dead car battery as a possible omen suggesting that we should have stayed in BVI... because we didn't seem to get the message, the universe gave us white-out conditions, and a fun windy, icy, 360* car spinning adventure. Our faithful Toyota is sadly gone, but we are fine... as fine as you can be when you left paradise by choice. Now we know.

Here are a few more photographs from our recent trip to incorporate Jordana Wright Photographic Expeditions... Enjoy!

We named this cat "I can haz murder"... you can tell by the look in its eye.

Many more photographs to come, so check back soon! Thanks for stopping by!

Our Journey Starts in St. Thomas

2010-12-10T14:25:00.000-06:00

We were welcomed home on Tuesday at Indianapolis International Airport, from our fantastic journey to BVI, by 9* temperatures, snow on the ground, and a dead car battery. It was difficult to convince ourselves that the conditions weren't some omen from the universe telling us that we are meant to stay in the Caribbean. Nevertheless, we had a fabulous time (as usual) and got a lot of necessary things accomplished on our most recent business venture -- Jordana Wright Photographic Expeditions. Over the next couple of weeks, we'll be posting some of our favorite photos from the trip, as well as some footage from our car-roof mounted Flip HD camera.

Here are the first few photos of the journey, taken from our lovely balcony at the Island View Guesthouse in St. Thomas... Enjoy!

If you love what you see -- and who doesn't love the Caribbean -- and are interested in having the opportunity to explore the Virgin Islands with your camera and professional photographer guides, check out our Jordana Wright Photographic Expeditions website to get more information!

A post for the foodies...

2010-11-26T14:10:00.000-06:00

We're just coming out of the food coma from yesterday's Thanksgiving festivities at our house. We had a fantastic day with some really fantastic food. Our menu included Grilled Turkey with Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Cash's Legendary Apple Pie, and a new favorite, Strawberry Shortbread with fresh Whipped Cream. While most of the food was ingested by revelers before we could photograph it, here are a few shots of the process and final creation of the Strawberry Shortbread.

Hungry yet?

Thanks to Cash for making these incredible desserts, styling them for the photos, and helping me eat them when we were done!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Back to BVI!!!

2010-11-12T08:53:00.002-06:00

We are a little over 2 weeks away from our next trip to The British Virgin Islands!
For the past 18 months we've been working diligently on our next business venture -- Jordana Wright Photographic Expeditions -- a full service tour company for aspiring and professional photographers. We have designed an incredible expedition to help photographers grow as artists and take advantage of the amazing variety of scenery/subject matter in BVI to bolster their portfolios. Our expedition removes the guess-work involved in shooting in a new location. Each workshop has been designed to capture the best lighting, at the best time of day for every location, and provides ample time to achieve photographic excellence. Best of all, our BVI Expedition is all inclusive to take the stress out of travel. All meals, accommodations, fees, transportation, and activities are included.

Our intensive curriculum includes:

A dozen sunrise and sunset shoots featuring idyllic beaches, historic ruins, and eager local personalities.
The chance to pose and direct models during a beach fashion shoot.
The experience of shooting from the water, during a private full-day sail.
Opportunities to practice advanced photography techniques, such as painting with light and astrophotography.
Macro and food photography, featuring local island cuisine.
Plenty of time -- no one will ever tell you to hurry or rush your shots.
and much more!

The Glow of the Coals

2010-10-29T09:24:00.000-05:00

Here are a few shots from last night's dinner prep on the grill.

Fine Art Sale!

2010-10-25T10:13:00.000-05:00

I wanna talk to Sampson!

2010-10-22T10:25:00.000-05:00

Nothing says 'Happy Friday' like photos of an adorable/ornery little pup. Sampson is a bulldog from San Diego who was kind enough to share his home, his couch, and his toys with us last month during our visit to The Golden State. He has an enormous amount of personality and style. We created the video below as a tribute to a day in the life of a SoCal pup -- complete with a trip to the dog beach and the very necessary post-beach-bath-time.

Thanks for visiting, and enjoy!!!

Keep livin' large, Sampson!

Back-lit California

2010-10-21T12:31:00.000-05:00

Backlighting in the last hour before sunset softens tones, makes edges glow, and enhances texture. Some of my favorite images of plants and flowers were created with these unique lighting conditions. Here are a few photographs I took on our recent trip to California featuring late-afternoon backlight. Enjoy!

Maquoketa State Park

2010-10-19T12:18:00.000-05:00

Last week in Iowa, I visited a Maquoketa Caves State Park to explore and photograph the fall leaves. Being used to the wide open, flat landscape of Illinois, the hills, valleys, and rocky cliffs were a great change of scenery and subject. Maquoketa features a number of huge caves, a natural land bridge, flowing springs, and beautiful rock formations.

For a while I was the only visitor in the park, wandering along trails, photographing the light through the trees. I was half-way up a staircase along a cliff when I heard a crunching and rustling in the woods. Soon three beautiful horses came down the trail past me. I took the lucky opportunity to photograph them in the woods, without signs of human existence as a distraction in the frame. The horses were alone, living off the woods just long enough to have manes filled with cockle burrs. They seemed used to humans and came to me when I whistled. I spent about half an hour with them, walking the trail, taking pictures, and petting them while they peacefully dined on acorns from the forest floor. Eventually a couple of hikers came along the trail and found me with the horses. "Are these your horses?", one of them asked. As a city girl, who is often intimidated by the largeness of horses without a fence between us, I couldn't help but smile that someone could mistake these horses as my own. "No, I found them here and we've just been hanging out," I replied. Shortly after that the horses wandered back along the way they had come, to find more acorns deeper in the woods.

As always, thanks for visiting! Check back for the many more photos and journeys to come!

Another Glimpse of California

2010-10-18T12:18:00.000-05:00

We've been amazingly busy with local shoots, project planning, studio renovations, and a trip to Iowa, but there are still many more photographs from our trip to California last month to share! Here are a few more of our favorites -- all taken during the same gorgeous sunset in the mountains east of San Diego. Click any of the images to view it in our archives!

We've also uploaded our full collection of California images to the archive/online store. Visit: http://archive.jordanawright.com and explore The West in our Fine Art Gallery!

Thanks for visiting! Look for more posts soon featuring many more images from our recent journeys to California, Iowa, and the East Coast!

Davenport, Iowa

2010-10-14T19:40:00.000-05:00

We just returned home from a short trip to Davenport, Iowa. Here are a few shots of a pedestrian bridge with great LED lighting overlooking the Mississippi River and The Rhythm City Casino (who wouldn't let us in because we had a tripod)...

Check back soon for more photos of Iowa adventures... including a surprising forest visit from wild horses...

Mayo Middle School Cheerleaders

2010-10-06T09:06:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we had an excellent shoot with the cheerleaders of Mayo Middle School. This squad was energetic, enthusiastic and fantastic to work with! Here's a sneak preview of their shoot!

Thanks again to the girls, parents and coaches for a great session!

For more information about team sessions with Jordana Wright Photography, contact us at (217) 686-4366!

Oceanside, CA

2010-09-28T08:04:00.000-05:00

As promised, here are a few more photographs from our SoCal trip! While we were in San Diego we took a little detour up to Oceanside to visit one of our studio supply vendors, and happened upon the beautiful Oceanside Civic Center. The architecture, style, and color made this location really fun to photograph. We spent a long time exploring all the various angles of the center. These are a few of our favorite photos from the afternoon!

Thanks for stopping by! Check back soon for more photographs from our adventures in California -- including some portraits of a very special bulldog named Sampson.

Photo Walk and Google Buzz Meetup

2010-09-26T21:13:00.000-05:00

What a trip! Jordana Wright Photography just returned from a week-long trip to San Diego, California, where we had some great shoots with some new friends we acquired from our favorite social network, Google Buzz. Google was even kind enough to come down with a few of their staff to hand out some cool swag, buy us some refreshments, and make the whole photowalk and subsequent meeting official. Thanks again to Robin and Brian, and all of the folks that came out and made the trip great! Below are the first few shots from inside Balboa Park from literally dozens of amazing images we captured in sunny Southern California- enjoy!

Home from sunny SoCal

2010-09-24T17:35:00.001-05:00

We had a very busy, but excellent trip to San Diego. We had the opportunity to explore a lot of the city, visit the incredible beaches, eat fantastic food, and took trips out into the mountains, desert, and surrounding area. It is amazing how much photographic variety we found in just one week. Check out the first batch of our favorites from the trip! Enjoy!

Bike Parking

Waiting For The Moment

At the Longboarder

Dusk With The Tides

In That Order

Newport Ave

Deco's at Night

Looking Up At The Penn

Create Peace

Check back soon for more photographs from our trip, and a few upcoming sessions and events in the Midwest! Thanks for visiting!

Blogging San Diego

2010-09-16T22:30:00.000-05:00

We're having an amazing time in San Diego. We're still 2 days away from our Google Buzz Photo Walk, and we've already visited and photographed so many beautiful places. Today we enjoyed the sunset views from Mt. Helix. Here are a few of our favorites... Enjoy!

Thanks for visiting! Check back soon for more images from Southern California!

Saundra & Matt's Engagement Portraits

2010-09-10T08:29:00.000-05:00

Saundra and Matt are one of those fortunate couples who have known each other forever -- and it shows. Their fun, positive, relaxed energy and love for each other made our session with them an absolute joy. They are getting married one year from today, so please enjoy this sneak preview of our fabulous Engagement Session with them at in the Sculpture Gardens at Pepsico in Purchase, NY.

Congratulations Saundra & Matt!

For more information about Engagement & Wedding Photography with

Jordana Wright Photography, visit JordanaWright.com or call (217) 686-4366.

Introducing Ella!

2010-09-07T17:15:00.001-05:00

There are few subjects as rewarding for photographers as a happy baby. Our session with Ella was an absolute joy. She was calm, inquisitive, just sleepy enough, and knew how to work the camera. Today is her one month birthday, so please enjoy a little sneak preview of her fabulous session with us in Boston!

For more information about Portraits with Jordana Wright Photography,

visit JordanaWright.com or call (217) 686-4366.

Wicked Fire Kissed Pizza

2010-09-06T11:34:00.000-05:00

Despite being in Cape Cod for less than 72 hours, we visited Wicked for 3 of our meals. The food, atmosphere owners and staff make it one of our favorite places to be. During our most recent trip to the Wicked, we were given the opportunity to photograph the incredible food and atmosphere. Take a look at some of our favorite shots from the session!

Jordana Wright Photography would like to thank Rob and Sheri Catania and the Chefs & Staff of Wicked Pizza for their help and enthusiasm!

For more information about commercial photography with

Jordana Wright Photography contact us at (217) 686-4366.

The Guarnere Family

2010-09-05T15:49:00.001-05:00

We're finally home from our whirlwind tour of the East Coast. We had a number of fantastic photography sessions -- one of our favorites was definitely this amazing young family. Check out the sneak preview of their first family portrait session! Enjoy!

For more information about Family Portraits with Jordana Wright Photography,

visit JordanaWright.com or contact us at (217) 686-4366!

The Hallidays

2010-08-12T10:00:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we had the opportunity to visit with some of our oldest and dearest friends -- Mary & Rob -- and finally got to meet their new baby, Emily! We had a little impromptu photo session to celebrate the new addition to their family. Here are some of our favorite shots. Congratulations again, Mary & Rob. You have a beautiful family!

Family Portrait Session with The Rothenbergers

2010-08-09T09:49:00.000-05:00

Last week we had a lovely family portrait session here in Paris, Illinois. This family's vibrant personalities, great attitude and sense of humor made them a great group to work with -- we really enjoyed ourselves! Take a look at the sneak preview of their session... Enjoy!

For information about Family Portrait Sessions,

visit JordanaWright.com, or contact us at (217) 686-4366!

The Indianapolis Zoo & White River Gardens

2010-08-04T11:56:00.000-05:00

While in Indianapolis last weekend, we visited the Indianapolis Zoo and the White River Gardens. We observed a lot of interesting behavior (the animals and the humans too...) and had fun exploring and photographing the various exhibits. Here are a few of our favorite photographs from the day's adventures:

On The Fence

A Different Type of Gated Community

A Glimpse

Down to the Catchlight

Ake's Gut

Canopy

Giraffe Puzzle

Dream Venue

Eye Contact

No Tapping On Glass

Ivy Wall and Gecko

On The Inside

Nature Filling In The Gaps

Very Little Red

Thanks for visiting Jordana Wright Photography! Check back soon for more photographs from our recent adventures!